[Open Beta] Procedural On-the-Fly Animation in UE4: iTween!

[anonymous_user_e815e8ea]

Haha don’t worry about it XD Why would looking at my folder structure change anything? There’s not even a plugin folder there.

1. It is (I think I said it before). I did use the “File->Add Code To Project”.
2. I did

Thanks!

[anonymous_user_e815e8ea]

Oh! Also, I tried packaging again, this time for windows (both shipping and dev), and neither works. Gives me the same error I got on my phone.

What are the odds that this will work after 4.8 is released?

Also, if it’s not too much to ask, do you know when a 4.8 version is going to be released?

[Infinite_Zenith]

@;297425

Hello Infinite Zenith, let me see if I can help!

Because splines are built into UE4, iTween for UE4 doesn’t need necessarily to cover all of the pathing stuff that the Unity version needed to. PutOnPath() for instance can be achieved by calling SetActorLocation() passing in GetWorldLocationAtTime from the spline component. If your spline has a “Duration” of 1.0 (and all do by default) then you can just pass in a 0.0-1.0 percent range.

What you can do for your situation, if I understand it correctly (and please let me know if I don’t! :)) is call ActorMoveToSplinePoint() using spline A and use the EventOnTweenComplete interface message to call ActorMoveToSplinePoint() using spline B when the first tween ends. Does that make sense? I can expand more if you need it.

Would you mind going into slightly more detail for the first case? It’s straightforwards to move the object to be Tweened to a location where the second spline starts (by a key press, for instance), but after that, I’d like for the object to continue moving along the new path (so for splines A and B, if I hit spacebar, it’ll jump to the start of B and keep moving along B). As for the second case, I got things working! Thanks for your time

[anonymous_user_bb0e176f1 (anonymous_user_bb0e176f)]

@;297425

Yes, you just have to design some differentiation. This is easy to do by giving your tween operations a unique name (“Tween Name”). Then from “Event On Tween Update” you can you can call a Switch on Name and plug “Tween Name” into “Selection.” This way whenever OnTweenUpdate is called you’ll be able to specify code paths for each name. Different tweens can execute different code based on their names.

Hey , I hope you had a nice holiday.

If you have a moment please take a look at the screenshots on how I have it setup. The 1st float works fine which changes the arm length, but as soon as I add the Field of View float, it still doesn’t work right. When I press the key it changes the FOV to the correct setting, but doesn’t do a smooth transition, just an abrupt one. Then when I press the key again it zooms out really far, then flips the perspective to up-side-down. I thought I followed your tips correctly. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Also, do you have a suggested setup as to how I can move the camera to 4 locations, with 4 different keys? As an example; I have the number pad keys assigned like: 8=Head Socket, 5=Upper Socket, 2=Lower Socket, 0=All Socket. So each time I press a key it moves the camera to that socket. I could use a bunch of Branches that look at Booleans to determine the camera’s current socket location, but I thought you may know an easier way.

Thanks again!

[JaredTherriault]

@paragonx9;298423

Haha don’t worry about it XD Why would looking at my folder structure change anything? There’s not even a plugin folder there.

1. It is (I think I said it before). I did use the “File->Add Code To Project”.
2. I did

Thanks!

Well, knowing how your folders look could clue me into why the installer isn’t working. Let me get this straight, there is no plugins folder, so you should be able to install the plug-in version, correct? If you’re not able to install the source version, do you have an iTween folder in source/projectname/? (Might be in private)

@paragonx9;299052

Oh! Also, I tried packaging again, this time for windows (both shipping and dev), and neither works. Gives me the same error I got on my phone.

What are the odds that this will work after 4.8 is released?

Also, if it’s not too much to ask, do you know when a 4.8 version is going to be released?

It depends on how serious Epic is about getting plugins working correctly for 4.8. They’ve been saying they really want it asap, but I’ve been hearing rumblings that 4.9 is when we’ll actually see it. Which is a bummer, but it’s all contingent on them.

I’ll release a 4.8 version the day official 4.8 arrives, but I can quickly compile one for the preview if you’d like. Normally I’d say that you can compile it yourself (I have video tutorial for it) but there were a few changes to the c++ api in 4.8 so a straight recompile won’t do it. Official 4.8 is slated for next week if there are no show-stopping bugs, but if you need it sooner just let me know.

@Infinite Zenith;299481

Would you mind going into slightly more detail for the first case? It’s straightforwards to move the object to be Tweened to a location where the second spline starts (by a key press, for instance), but after that, I’d like for the object to continue moving along the new path (so for splines A and B, if I hit spacebar, it’ll jump to the start of B and keep moving along B). As for the second case, I got things working! Thanks for your time

You can use a similar approach with the first scenario to what you used for the second scenario. You can have the object start on spline B when the tween for spline A ends and when the player presses spacebar you can call “stop tweening by tween name” and end spline A’s tween by using its name. That will call OnTweenComplete for that spline’s tween so it will begin on spline B at that point.

@AdamZ;300080

Hey , I hope you had a nice holiday.

If you have a moment please take a look at the screenshots on how I have it setup. The 1st float works fine which changes the arm length, but as soon as I add the Field of View float, it still doesn’t work right. When I press the key it changes the FOV to the correct setting, but doesn’t do a smooth transition, just an abrupt one. Then when I press the key again it zooms out really far, then flips the perspective to up-side-down. I thought I followed your tips correctly. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Also, do you have a suggested setup as to how I can move the camera to 4 locations, with 4 different keys? As an example; I have the number pad keys assigned like: 8=Head Socket, 5=Upper Socket, 2=Lower Socket, 0=All Socket. So each time I press a key it moves the camera to that socket. I could use a bunch of Branches that look at Booleans to determine the camera’s current socket location, but I thought you may know an easier way.

Thanks again!

Hello again , thank you, I did have a nice Holiday. I hope the same for you as well, if you celebrated!

The problem with your setup seems to come from your switch on name coming out of the OnTweenUpdate event. You only need a single switch. On the OnTweenUpdate event, you have a pin for “Tween Name.” You’ll want to plug that pin into the “selection” input on the switch. If you click on the switch node you’ll be able to add names in the details panel. Then output execution pins will be automatically added per name. That should fix your problem Default pins on switches are for when the selection isn’t one of the designated pins.

For your second question I would use an enum. Create a new function that sets the enum. First it should check what the enumerated currently is using a switch on enum and set the starting vector, then change the enum to the new one, then do another switch on enum that sets the destination vector after the enum has changed.

[anonymous_user_e815e8ea]

4.8 is out! Can’t wait for a 4.8 release

[JaredTherriault]

@paragonx9;308089

4.8 is out! Can’t wait for a 4.8 release

Indeed! 's the 4.8 version (no new features).

iTween v0.8.6b(UE4.8)

Installation is the same.

I apologize for it taking a few days. My girlfriend moved to Colombia today to teach English, so we were taking every moment to spend together. Moving forward, iTween is one notch higher on the priority totem pole. Updates coming soon until we reach 1.0 at which point I would love to get this thing on the marketplace, for free of course. Hopefully that’s on the docket for 4.9!

[anonymous_user_e815e8ea]

Thank you!

Don’t worry about it, I’m sorry to hear that
It’d be nice to see it on the marketplace

[stansdad]

Greetings

Could any Mac users following this thread please give a step by step on how to add iTween to an existing project and build in Xcode?

I upgraded to 4.8 and my project wouldn’t even load without removing all blueprints containing any ITween code (there was only a couple though). The project was started on Windows and moved to Mac, if that makes any difference.

I already figured out how to build the editor from 4.8.2 source as suggests. Do I need to remove the launcher versions of the editor as I have the choice of three on my system now, 4.7, 4.8 and the 4.8 built from source.

Just getting errors when building, it doesn’t seem to be able to find a file or other.

Thanks

[JaredTherriault]

@stansdad;335412

Greetings

Could any Mac users following this thread please give a step by step on how to add iTween to an existing project and build in Xcode?

I upgraded to 4.8 and my project wouldn’t even load without removing all blueprints containing any ITween code (there was only a couple though). The project was started on Windows and moved to Mac, if that makes any difference.

I already figured out how to build the editor from 4.8.2 source as suggests. Do I need to remove the launcher versions of the editor as I have the choice of three on my system now, 4.7, 4.8 and the 4.8 built from source.

Just getting errors when building, it doesn’t seem to be able to find a file or other.

Thanks

Could you post the errors you get while building? There may be a clue as to what’s going on.

[stansdad]

Deleted this post because I worked out some of the issues in it by starting again - see the next post.

[stansdad]

hi

I’m getting somewhere. I’, sure there’s something wrong with my project so I’ve started again. (I’ve followed the instructions in your how to video about what to edit and where in the iTween source files)

I’ve created (in the Epic Launcher) a brand new project, this time C++ (the last one was Blueprint only)

I then named that TrialsBall

I copied over the Content folder and also the Config folder from the "old " project. Ran project to test it, everything seems to be working fine.

Now I have a nice Xcode file with all the .Build files in the Source folder.

I get an error message when building TrialsBallEditor >> Mac after adding all the edited iTween files, screenshot attached.

I’ve had this error before, is it a permissions thing or something?

I appreciate you aren’t a Mac user…

[stansdad]

@;255112

Cool that fixed it. I remove all the STweenableWidget class references from iTInterface.h, iTInterface.cpp, iTweenEvent.h and iTweenEvent.cpp and rebuild it.

Thanks for the help.

Hi .

Just noticed that the error I am having is the same one as this.

I’m not a coder so got stuck , I’ve managed to remove the class from ITInterface.h and ITInterface.CPP, fairly straightforward I think.

However, the iTweenevent.CPP and iTweenevent.h files are just that bit more complex, so not sure what i’m removing … (I need the painting by numbers version for non programmers )

[JaredTherriault]

@stansdad;336641

Hi .

Just noticed that the error I am having is the same one as this.

I’m not a coder so got stuck , I’ve managed to remove the class from ITInterface.h and ITInterface.CPP, fairly straightforward I think.

However, the iTweenevent.CPP and iTweenevent.h files are just that bit more complex, so not sure what i’m removing … (I need the painting by numbers version for non programmers )

Hey stansdad, sorry to be late on the reply . If you aren’t using STweenableWidget (and if you’re not a coder, you’re probably not using Slate, so you probably aren’t using STweenableWidget) you can just open up XCode and do a cmd+F to find all of the references to STweenableWidget and delete any lines that contain that, but only those lines. You may then need to compile the plugin again, which is a matter of switching your project over to code then opening the project solution in XCode and clicking on build. If you have any more errors let me know.

[stansdad]

@;337934

Hey stansdad, sorry to be late on the reply . If you aren’t using STweenableWidget (and if you’re not a coder, you’re probably not using Slate, so you probably aren’t using STweenableWidget) you can just open up XCode and do a cmd+F to find all of the references to STweenableWidget and delete any lines that contain that, but only those lines. You may then need to compile the plugin again, which is a matter of switching your project over to code then opening the project solution in XCode and clicking on build. If you have any more errors let me know.

Hi again

Thanks for the support, I did what you said and got a whole load of new errors anywhere where there was a reference to Slate in the code, highlighted red in code.

So I deleted all those lines also, built it and now I have a working lift in iTween

That’s all I really wanted to use it for, move to and from, so that’s cool.

I’ll report back if I get any further issues should I start using more iTween functions.

[Infinite_Zenith]

Out of curiosity, is it possible to update the destination of an iTween while that tween is already running?

[JaredTherriault]

@stansdad;338147

Hi again

Thanks for the support, I did what you said and got a whole load of new errors anywhere where there was a reference to Slate in the code, highlighted red in code.

So I deleted all those lines also, built it and now I have a working lift in iTween

That’s all I really wanted to use it for, move to and from, so that’s cool.

I’ll report back if I get any further issues should I start using more iTween functions.

@Infinite Zenith;341885

Out of curiosity, is it possible to update the destination of an iTween while that tween is already running?

You sure can. You just need to update the “vectorTo” variable on the iTweenEvent object. If you’re using blueprints, that means pulling out the return value of the iTween node and searching for “vector to.”

[anonymous_user_fff38ccc]

Hi ,

After using Actor Move To Spline Point, is there a way where I can control how fast the actor travels on it dynamically? I wanted to be able to move a ship up/down/left/right in space but still move along a spline destination controlled by a speed variable.

[JaredTherriault]

@eviltenchi;342299

Hi ,

After using Actor Move To Spline Point, is there a way where I can control how fast the actor travels on it dynamically? I wanted to be able to move a ship up/down/left/right in space but still move along a spline destination controlled by a speed variable.

Hi eviltenchi, absolutely. After you’ve created your iTweenEvent object, just set its time variable to be different. If you’re using time, a higher value is slower. If you’re using speed, a higher value is faster. Either way, the variable that’s used is still “time.” If you’re using blueprints, pull off of the return value of the Actor Move to Spline Point node and search out “time.” You can set the value directly on the fly.

[anonymous_user_1d7fb9811 (anonymous_user_1d7fb981)]

As a long time user of iTween for Unity, I am thrilled to see support extend over to Unreal Engine 4. We have produced dozens of polished feeling prototypes and demos by being able to quickly setup runtime animated effects, and I consider this a core tool in our rapid prototyping arsenal.